Line wiper



Sept. 23, 1969 J. A. WILSON LINE WIPER Filed Nov. 26, 1965 Fig.2

. INVENTOR i James A.Wilson BY Q United States Patent 3,468,549 LINEWIPER James A. Wilson, 4425 San Gabriel Drive, Dallas, Tex. 75229 FiledNov. 26, 1965, Ser. No. 509,891 Int. Cl. F16j /26, 15/56 U.S. Cl. 277-596 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to devicesthrough which an elongate member is movable into and from a flowconductor which limit flow of fluids from the flow conductor past theelongate member and which wipe or strip liquids carried by the elongatemember during its withdrawal from the flow conductor.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved devicesecurable to the upper end of a flow conductor, such as a string of welltubing or casing, through which an elongate member, such as a flexiblebraided or solid wire line, a small diameter pipe, or a rod, is movableinto and from the relatively large diameter flow conductor which hasresilient means for engaging such elongate member to restrict fluid flowfrom the flow conductor and for wiping or stripping liquids carried bythe elongate member during its movement from the large flow conductor.

Another object is to provide a device of the type described having ahousing provided with two longitudinally spaced resilient elements whichare longitudinally compressible for movement into engagement with theelongate member, wherein the lower element is employed to restrict fluidflow from the flow conductor past the elongate member and the upperelement is used to remove liquids from the cavities or interstices ofthe elongate member which are carried upwardly therewith.

Still another object is to provide a device of the type describedwherein the resilient elements are simultaneously longitudinallycompressed by a pair of pistons by fluid pressure introduced into thehousing from the exterior thereof.

A further object is to provide a device of the type described whereinthe resilient elements may be easily removed, as when replacement of theresilient elements is made necessary due to their wear without requiringremoval of the device off the elongate member.

A still further object is to provide a device having an elongate tubularhousing whose longitudinal passage has opposite end portions of reducedinternal diameter in which are disposed resilient tubular seal elementsand an intermediate portion in which are disposed a pair of pistonswhich are movable longitudinally in opposite directions tosimultaneously compress the two resilient elements into operativeengagement with an elongate member as it moves therethrough.

Still another object is to provide a device of the type described havingmeans for exhausting fluids from the housing which may move upwardlywith or past the elongate member through the lower resilient element.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readilyapparent from the reading of the following description of a deviceconstructed in accordance with the invention, and reference to theaccompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

3,468,549 Patented Sept. 23, 1969 FIGURE 1 is a vertical, partlysectional view, with some parts broken away, of a device embodying theinvention mounted on the upper end of a flow conductor and showing theresilient elements in their normal noncompressed condition;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing the resilient elements inlongitudinally compressed operative condition;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of a portion of thedevice.

Referring now to the drawings, the device 10 embodying the inventionincludes a housing 11 having a top section 12, a middle cylinder section13, a connector section 14 and a bottom section 15. The bottom housingsection has a bottom end portion 16 which is threadable into the top endportion of a flow conductor 17, such as a well tubing or casing. The tophousing section 12 has an external annular flange 18 which is threadedin the upper end of the cylinder housing section and the connectorhousing section 14 has an internally threaded intermediate portion 19 onwhich is threaded the lower end of the cylinder housing section.Downward movement of the cylinder section on the connector section islimited by the engagement of the annular bottom end shoulder or surface21 of the cylinder housing section with the upwardly facing annularshoulder 22 of the connector section.

The upper portion of the bottom housing section extends upwardly intothe connector section, its upward movement relative thereto beinglimited by the engagement of its annular external shoulder 25 with thedownwardly facing internal annular shoulder 26 of the connector section.An O-ring 27 disposed in an external annular recess of the bottomhousing section seals between the bottom and connector housing sections.

The connector housing section is releasably secured to the bottomhousing section by a connector yoke 30 whose leg 31 extends through thealigned apertures 32 and 33 of the connector section and an externalrecess 34 of the bottom housing section and whose other leg 35 extendsthrough the aligned recesses 36 and 37 of the connector housing sectionand the recess 38 of the base. The connector yoke is releasably heldagainst withdrawal from the connector and bottom housing sections by alatch 40 which extends through an external longitudinal slot 41 in theleg 31 and is pivotally mounted on a pin 43 which extends through theslot. The latch is mounted on the pin at a point spaced above its cent rof gravity so that the latch is normally held by gravity in theperpendicular position illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 wherein it willengage the outer surface of the connector portion to prevent withdrawalof the yoke. The latch may be pivoted into longitudinal alignment withthe leg 31 whereupon the yoke may be withdrawn from the bottom andconnector housing sections to permit upward movement of the connector,cylinder and top housing sections from the bottom housing section.

A tubular resilient element is mounted in the top housing sectionbetween upper and lower aligned guides 51 and 52, respectively. Theresilient element is provided with a longitudinal slit to permitinsertion of a line L into its longitudinal passage 53. The upper guidehas two complementary sections 54 and 55 releasably secured together bya resilient split retainer band 56 disposed in an external annularrecess 57 of the upper guide above oppositely opening recesses 59 and 6dof its sections 54 and 55, respectively. The upper guide is releasablyheld against movement in the housing by a connector yoke 62 whose leg 63extends through the aligned apertures 65 and 66 of the housing sectionand the recess 59 of the guide section 54- and whose other leg 68extends through the aligned recesses 69 and 70 of the top housingsection and the recess 6% of the guide 55. The end of the leg 63 isprovided with a longitudinal slot 71 through which extends the latch 72.The latch is pivotally mounted on a pin 73 rigidly secured to the leg 63and which ex: tends through its slot 71. The latch is mounted on thepivot pin at a location above its center of gravity so that the latchnormally assumes the vertical position illustrated in FIGURES l and 2 toprevent withdrawal of the connector yoke from the housing. When thelatch is pivoted to a position where it is in longitudinal alignmentwith the leg 63 of the connector yoke, the connector yoke may bewithdrawn from the housing to permit removal of the upper guide.

The two sections 54 and 55 of the upper guide have radially outwardlyextending lugs 74 and 75 which extend outwardly through slots 76 and 77,respectively, of the top housing section. The bottom surface 80 of theupper guide 51 is of frusto-conical shape sloping downwardly andoutwardly from the central vertical passage 81 of the guide and conformsto the frusto-conical top end surface 82 of the resilient element 59.

The lower guide 52 also has two complementary sections 83 and 84 and afrusto-conical surface 85 which extends upwardly and outwardly from itscentral vertical passage 36 and engages the correspondingly shapedbottom end surface 87 of the resilient element 50. The two sections ofthe lower guide are releasably secured to one another by a splitresilient retainer band 88 disposed in a suitable external annularrecess 8? of the lower guide.

The lower guide 52 is movable upwardly in the housing by an uppertubular piston 92 whose top annular end surface 93 engages thedownwardly facing annular shoulder 94 of the lower guide. The upperpiston is biased downwardly by a spring 96 whose top end engages thebottom annular shoulder 97 of the external flange 18 of the top housingsection and whose bottom end engages the top annular surface 98 of theexternal annular flange 99 of the upper piston. The upper housingsection has a dependent reduced spring retainer portion 101 about whichthe upper end portion of the spring is disposed. Downward movement ofthe upper piston in the housing is limited by a split snap ring 1592whose outer portions are received in an internal annular recess 103 ofthe cylinder housing section 13 and whose inner portions extend inwardlyof the internal surfaces of the cylinder housing section.

The piston flange has an external annular recess in which a suitableresilient seal means 164, such as a quad ring, is disposed which sealsbetween the piston flange and the cylinder housing section above itslateral port 105. The piston also has an internal annular recess inwhich is disposed a similar seal means 106 which seals between the upperpiston and the external surface of a lower tubular piston 198 whose topreduced portion 109 extends upwardly into the upper piston. A resilientwiper ring 111 disposed in an externally and upwardly opening recess 112of the lower piston is secured to the lower piston in any suitablemanner, as by bonding, and ad hesive or the like, or may be retainedthereon by the frictional engagement of the ring with the lower piston.The upwardly and outwardly extending upper lip 113 of the wiper ringengages the internal surfaces of the upper piston to prevent passage offoreign material, such as sand and the like, between the two pistons.

The external annular flange 115 of the lower piston has an externalannular recess in which is disposed a seal means 116 which seals betweenthe piston flange and the internal surface of the cylinder housingsection below the lateral port thereof. Upward movement of the lowerpiston in the housing is limited by the engagement of the top surface ofits flange with the bottom surface of the retainer ring 102. The lowerpiston is biased upwardly by a spring 118 Whose top end engages thebottom annular surface 119 of the flange 115, whose lower end portion isdisposed about the upper reduced portion 121 of the connector housingsection 14 and whose bottom end engages the top annular shoulder 122thereof. The bottom end shoulder or surface 124 of the lower pistonengages the upwardly facing shoulder 125 of an upper guide 126. Theguide 126 is identical in structure to the lower guide 52 and has twosections 127 and 128 which are releasably secured together by aresilient split retainer band 129. The bottom frustoconical annularsurface 130 of the guide 126 extends downwardly and outwardly from itscentral vertical passage 131 and engages the frusto-conical top endsurface 132 of the tubular lower resilient member 133. The bottomfrusto-conical surface 134 of the lower resilient element 133 engagesthe frusto-conical top end surface 135 of the lower guide 137. The guide137 is identical in structure to the guides 52 and 126, and has twosections 139 and 140 releasably secured to one another by a resilientsplit retainer band 141. The resilient element 133 and the guide 137have central vertical passages 142 and 143, respectively. Downwardmovement of the lower guide 137 is limited by the engagement of itsdownwardly facing shoulder 144 with the upwardly facing internalshoulder 145 of the bottom housing section 15. T resilient element has alongitudinal slit through which the line L may be inserted into itscentral passage 142.

An internally threaded tubular nipple 151 is rigidly secured to thehousing, as by welding, and about the lateral port 105 by means of whichfluid may be introduced into or exhausted from the annular housingchamber 156 between the two piston flanges. A flexible conduit 152 isconnected to the nipple by a suitable fitting assembly 153 whose endportion 154 is threaded in the nipple.

Fluid from the longitudinal passage 159 of the lower piston may flowoutwardly into the annular passage 160 between the housing and the lowerpiston through the space between adjacent vertical surfaces of the twoguide sections 127 and 128 and also through the apertures 162 of thelower piston located below its external flange 115. The liquids may flowout of the chamber 160 through a lateral port 164 of the cylinderhousing section, a nipple 165 secured to the cylinder housing section,as by welding and a conduit 166 connected to the nipple by a suitablefitting 167 threaded in the nipple.

In use when certain well operations are to be performed which requirethat tools be moved through a flow conductor 17 such as a string oftubing by means of a flexible line such as the braided wire line L, thebottom housing section 15 is secured to the top end of the flowconductor by means of its external threaded bottom end portion 16. Theline is then passed downwardly through the assembly of the connector,cylinder and top housing sections and the pistons, mounted therein. Thelower guide 137 is positioned on the line by moving the split ends ofthe retainer band 141 into alignment with the adjacent ends of the twoguide sections 139 and 146 whereupon the two sections of the guide maybe pivoted to provide a passage through which the line is moved into itsvertical passage 143. The resilient force of the retainer band 141 thenholds the two guide sections together and the guide is then moveddownwardly into the bottom housing section until its downward movementis arrested by the engagement of its shoulder 144 with the internalshoulder 145 of the bottom housing section. The resilient element 133 isthen disposed about the line by distorting the element outwardly at itslongitudinal slit to provide the radial passage through which the wireline L is passed into the passage 142 of the resilient element. Theupper guide 126 is then installed on the wire line above the resilientelement 133 in the same manner as described in connection with the lowerguide 137. The resilient element 133 and the guide 137 are moveddownwardly until downward movement of the resilient element 133 isarrested by the engagement of its bottom conical end surface 134 withthe shoulder 135 of the lower guide. The assembly of the lower connectorhousing section 14, the cylinder housing section 13 and the top housingsection together with the two pistons and their biasing springs is thenlowered to the position illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2. The connectorhousing section 14 is then connected to the bottom housing section bythe insertion of the connector yoke 30 through the aligned apertures ofthe connector housing section and the recesses 34 and 38 of the bottomhousing section. The guide 52, the resilient element 50 and the upperguide 51 are then disposed about the line above the upper end of the tophousing section, in the same manner as described in connection with theguides 126 and 137 and the resilient element 133, and are inserteddownwardly into the top housing section until their downward movement isarrested by the engagement of the downwardly facing shoulder 94 of theguide 52 with the top end shoulder 93 of the lower piston 92. The lowerconnector yoke 62 is inserted through the apertures of the top housingsection and the recesses of the upper guide 51 to the positionillustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 and the upper guide is thus securedagainst movement relative to the housing. The device is then inoperative condition.

The weight of the tools connected to the line then causes the tools todescend through the flow conductor as the line is unwound from the usualdrum of a power hoist. The pressure in the chamber 150 is maintained ata value sufliciently high that the lower resilient element 133 iscompressed longitudinally, and is therefore moved toward engagement withthe line, with sufficient force to prevent excessive fiuid flow from theflow conductor past the lower resilient element 133. When it is desiredto move the tools upwardly, the pressure in the chamber 150 isincreased. The pressure in the chamber 150, and therefore the force withwhich the two resilient elements are forced toward engagement with theline, is preferably increased to such value that the lower resilientelement 133 is not compressed with such force that it prevents allmovement of well fluids upwardly through the central passage 142 of theresilient element 133 into the housing above the lower sealing elementsince this force would necessarily be so great, because of the highpressure in the flow conductor, as to cause undue wear of the lowerresilient element. As a result, a certain amount of well fluids in thevarious cavities or interstices of the line may move upwardly with theline through the lower sealing element. The lower resilient elementhowever prevents any excessive fluid flow past the sealing element andthus closes the upper end of the flow conductor. Substantially nopressure differential exists across the upper resilient element 50,since the conduit 166 normally opens to the atmosphere at a locationremote from the device 10, and the compressive force exerted on theupper resilient element 50 by the upper piston causes the substance ofthe upper resilient element to flow into the cavities of the wire lineand prevents movement of the well liquids with the line through theupper resilient element. Any such well liquids wiped or stripped fromthe line collect in the passage 159 of the lower piston above the guide126 and flow through the apertures 162 into the chamber 160 thence tothe port 164 and then through the port, the nipple 165 and the conduit166 to a desired location remote from the device 10.

It will be apparent that the two resilient elements are held undercompression by substantially equal forces since the area of thedownwardly facing surfaces of the upper piston between the line ofsealing engagement of the seal means 106 with the upper extension 109 ofthe lower piston and the line of sealing engagement of the seal means104 with the internal surfaces of the cylinder housing section above theport 105 is equal to the area of the upwardly facing surfaces of thelower piston between the line of sealing engagement of the seal means106 with the upper extension 109 of the lower piston and the line ofsealing engagement of the seal means 116 with the internal surface ofthe cylinder housing section below the port 105, and since the springs96 and 118 which resist opposite longitudinal movement of the twopistons are of equal strength. Due to the upward pressure differentialacross the lower resilient element created by the pressure of the wellliquids in the string of tubing, the lower resilient element 133 whileit serves the purpose of preventing all, or substantially all, flow ofwell fluids between the line and the lower resilient element is notmoved into such intimate engagement with the wire line as to preventmovement of well liquids present in cavities in the line past theresilient element. This would require that the lower piston exert agreater downward force on the lower resilient element and would causeexcessive wear of the lower sealing element. Any well liquids which arepresent in interstices or cavities of the line are, however, wiped orstripped from the wire line by the upper resilient element 50 eventhough it is held under the same longitudinal compressional force as thelower seal resilient element since there is no pressure differentialthereacross which would tend to oppose flow of the substance of theupper resilient element into the external cavities of the line.

If it is thereafter again desired to permit the line to move downwardlythrough the device, the pressure in the chamber 150 is decreased bypermitting escape of fluids therefrom through the conduit 152 whereuponthe springs 96 and 118 move the two pistons towards one another and theresilient force of the two resilient elements 50 and 133 causes them toexpand to move back toward their normal positions. The pressure in thechamber 150 may, of course, be so adjusted as to cause the lower sealelement 133 to engage the line with sufiicient force to limit or preventflow of fluid upwardly from the flow conductor between the line and thelower resilient element during such subsequent downward movement of theline.

As the line moves through the resilient elements 50 and 133, theportions of the resilient elements which define their longitudinalpassages 53 and 142 abrade will wear during the movement of the line. Assuch abrasion occurs and the total volumes of the resilient elementsgradually decrease due to this abrasion, the line guides 52 and 126 aremoved toward the guides 51 and 137, respectively, to maintain theresilient elements under longitudinal compression therebetween and theinwardly divergent frusto-conical surfaces and of the guides 51 and 52cause the substance of the upper resilient element 50 to flow inwardlytoward the line and the corresponding inwardly divergentlyfrusto-conical surfaces 132 and 135 of the guides 126 and 137 similarlycause the outer portions of the lower resilient element to flow inwardlytoward the line. When the two elements have worn away to such an extentthat their volumes are reduced to such a degree that the resilientelements no longer function properly, the worn elements may be easilyreplaced by reducing pressure in the chamber to atmospheric pressure byventing it to the atmosphere through the conduit 152 and removing thelower connector yoke 30 from the housing. The connector housing section14, the cylinder housing section 13 and the top housing section togetherwith the pistons and the upper resilient element 50 together with itstwo guides are then moved upwardly on the line and from the bottomhousing section. This upward movement of these components of the devicefrom the bottom housing section leaves the lower resilient element 133and its guides in position in the bottom housing section. The guide 126may be moved upwardly on the line to permit upward removal of the lowerresilient element 133 from the bottom housing section whereupon a newresilient element may be positioned on the line by distorting theresilient element out- 7 wardly about its slit to provide a radialpassage through which the line may be moved into the verticallongitudinal passage of the new element. The bottom connector section 14is then again telescoped over the bottom housing section and reconnectedthereto by the yoke 30.

The upper connector yoke 62 is then removed from the top housing sectionand the guide 51 is then moved upwardly on the line above the tophousing section. The lugs 74 and 75 of the guide 51 project outwardly ofthe outer surface of the upper top housing section and facilitateremoval thereof from the top housing section. The upper resilientelement 50 is removed from the top housing section. A new resilientelement is placed about the line below the upper guide 51 and above thetop housing section and the resilient element and the guide 51 are thenmoved back downwardly into the top housing section. The yoke 62 is againinserted into the top housing section to again secure the guide 51against removal from the housing. The device 10 may again be employed toclose the top of the flow conductor about the line and to Wipe or stripfluids from the line as it is moved through the device.

It will be apparent that one of the pistons may be caused to exert agreater longitudinal force on its associated resilient element than theother piston by employing springs 96 and 118 of diflerent strength or bymaking the area of the surfaces of one of the pistons exposed to thepressure in the chamber 150 greater than the area of the other pistonexposed to this pressure. For example, if it is desired that the lowerpiston exert a downward force on the lower resilient element 133 greaterthan the upward force exerted on the upper resilient element by theupper piston, the spring 118 may be made weaker than the spring 96 orthe passage of the cylinder housing section below the port 105 may bemade of greater diameter than the diameter thereof above the port 105.

It will now be apparent that a new and improved device for containingthe pressure in the flow conductor while permitting the movement of anelongate member, such as a flexible wire line L. has been illustratedand described which comprises a pair of longitudinally spaced upper andlower tubular resilient elements 50 and 133 and a pair of pistonssimultaneously movable by fluid pressure introducible into the housingof the device for compressing the sealing elements longitudinally andcausing them to be moved toward and held in engagement with the linewhich is movable therethrough, the lower element minimizing movement offluids between the line and the lower resilient element from the flowconductor and the upper resilient element wiping or stripping wellfluids carried by the line in the cavities thereof.

It will further be seen that the pistons are telescopical to form withthe housing of the device a chamber into which fluid under pressure maybe introduced between the two pistons to cause them to move in oppositelongitudinal directions and that biasing means, such as springs 96 and118, bias the two pistons away from their associated resilient elementsto permit the longitudinal expansion of the two resilient elements totheir normal positions when the pressure in the chamber between thepistons is reduced.

It will further be seen that the longitudinal passage of the tubularhousing 11 has an upper end portion of reduced internal diameterprovided by the top housing section 12 in which is disposed the upperresilient element '50, a lower end portion of reduced internal diameterprovided by the bottom and connector housing sections 14 and 15 in whichis disposed the lower resilient element 133, and an intermediateenlarged portion provided by the cylinder housing section 13 in whichare slidably positioned the external flanges 99 and 115 of the upper andlower pistons 92 and 168, respectively, so that the resilient elementsare moved into sealing engagement with the 8 housing and into operativeengagement with the elongate member on line L when the fluid underpressure is introduced into the chamber of the device.

It will further be apparent that While the operation of the device hasbeen described in connection with an elongate member L illustrated anddescribed to be a braided wire line, the elongate member could be asolid line, a rod, or a flow conductor.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, andchanges in the details of the construction illustrated may be made bythose skilled in the art, Within the scope of the appended claims,without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

t. A device through which an elongate member is movable, said deviceincluding: a housing having a longitudinal passage therethrough, saidpassage having upper and lower end portions of reduced diameter and anintermediate portion of enlarged diameter; an upper resilient elementdisposed in said upper end portion and a lower resilient elementdisposed in said lower end portion, said re silient elements havinglongitudinal passages therethrough; a first tubular guide engaging thebottom end surface of said lower resilient element for limiting itsdownward movement in passage, a second tubular guide in said passagereleasably secured to said housing and engaging the top end surface ofsaid upper resilient element for limiting its upward movement in saidpassage, a third tubular guide in said lower end portion engaging thetop end of said lower resilient element; a lower tubular piston in saidhousing engageable with said third guide and having an intermediateexternal flange sealingly engageable with the internal surface of saidhousing at said intermediate portion of said passage; a fourth tubularguide engaging the bottom end surface of said upper resilient element,said guides having longitudinal passages longitudinally aligned withsaid passages of said resilient elements, an upper tubular piston havinga lower portion telescoped over an upper portion of said lower pistonabove its flange and having an external flange sealingly engageable withthe internal surface of said housing at said intermediate portion ofsaid passage, said pistons and said housing defining an annular chamberbetween said piston flanges; and means for introducing fluid underpressure into said chamber between said piston flanges to move saidlower piston downwardly to cause said lower piston to exert a downwardforce on said third guide means to compress said resilient elementlongitudinally and into engagement with an elongate member movablethrough said guides and said resilient elements and to move said upperpiston upwardly to cause said upper piston to exert an upward force onsaid fourth guide to compress said upper resilient elementlongitudinally and into engagement with an elongate member movablethrough said pistons, said resilient elements and said guides.

2. The device of claim 1, and seal means sealing between said pistons,and wiper means carried by said lower piston means engageable withinternal surfaces of said upper piston above said last mentioned sealmeans for preventing movement of foreign material between said pistons.

3. The device of claim 2, and means biasing said lower piston upwardlyand said upper piston downwardly in said housing.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein said housing has outlet port means forconducting fluids from within said housing and between said resilientelements to the exterior of said housing.

5. The device of claim 1, and means biasing said lower piston upwardlyand said upper piston downwardly in said housing.

6. The device of claim 5, and wherein said housing has outlet port meansfor conducting fluids {from within said housing and between saidresilient elements to the exterior of said housing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,172,948 9/1939 Weiier 277116.4X 2,748,870 6/1956 Basham et a1. 166-77 2,943,682 7/1960 Ingram et a116677 10 5 SAMUEL ROTHBERG, Primary Examiner J. S. MEDNICK, AssistantExaminer U.S. C1. X.R.

